We invite you to celebrate the arrival of one of the most important cultural events of the year! The 28th Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival will kick off with a grand opening ceremony on Friday, November 8, at 7 PM at the Alexela Concert Hall (Estonia pst 9). At this exclusive ceremony, the world premiere of Riho Unt's brand-new animated film Casablanca will be screened, accompanied by live music. The evening will be hosted by Doris Tislar and Jan Ehrenberg, with a special touch added by warm clay mugs featuring characters from Casablanca. During the ceremony, the PÖFF Lifetime Achievement Award and the Bruno O'Ya Young Actor Scholarship will be presented. Following the ceremony, the festival’s opening film Long Story Short will be screened—a comedy by German director David Dietl that delves into the complexity of human relationships, proving that love and friendship are the most precious gifts in life. Note! Dress code: formal, black tie. The doors of the concert hall will open for guests at 5:45 PM, allowing time to reconnect with friends and take photos on the festival's black carpet before the ceremony begins. Please arrive on time. After the opening, all guests are invited to the after-party at Club Monument (Vana-Posti 8). Our German opening film “Long Story Short” is a feel-good comedy with strong dramatic elements, which works internationally thanks to its high emotional level, terrific cinematography and a joyful, diverse cast. The original title “Feste & Freunde” translates as “Feasts and Friends”, which is the theme of the film. Just like in “Four Weddings and a Funeral”, a group of close friends celebrate parties over an extended period of time. They experience a lot of fun together, but also tragic moments that prove that love and friendship are the most important gifts of all our lives. The compelling script by Elena Senft brings together some of Germany's finest actors, including Laura Tonke and Ronald Zehrfeld. The artistic team manages to visualise the script in a highly entertaining and never boring way. Director David Dietl (known for his documentary “Berlin Bouncer”) studied at the renowned DFFB and proves with “Long Story Short” that he is one of Germany's finest and most prolific cinematic voices. Nikolaj Nikitin

Events website: https://poff.ee/film/peod-ja-sbrad